fend for
phr. v..phr. v.. to take care of yourself without any help from other people.
phr. v.. to provide for one's own needs or to defend oneself without assistance from others; often used in contexts of survival or forced independence.
The children had to fend for themselves while their parents were away.
When the company went bankrupt, the employees were left to fend for themselves in a tough job market.
After the collapse of the central government, local communities were forced to fend for themselves against rising insecurity and food shortages.
almost always used with a reflexive pronoun like 'myself', 'yourself', or 'themselves'.
point out that while 'fend off' means to push away an attacker, 'fend for' is about providing resources and care for oneself.
He had to fend for him.He had to fend for himself.this phrase requires a reflexive pronoun because the subject and the object are the same person.